Method, computer program and apparatus for determining a back-off value

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention provides a method for determining a back-off window value for accessing a transmission channel. The method comprises receiving, at a first wireless node, a first set of time-varying parameters for at least one second wireless node; and using, by the first wireless node, the received first set of time-varying parameters at least partially and a second set of time-varying parameters of the first wireless node in determining a back-off window value for the first wireless node for accessing the transmission channel.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a first wireless node, a first set of time-varying parameters for at least one second wireless node; and   using, by the first wireless node, the received first set of time-varying parameters at least partially and a second set of time-varying parameters of the first wireless node in determining a back-off window value for the first wireless node for accessing a transmission channel.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first set of time-varying parameters comprise at least one of:
 number of packets in a buffer of the at least one second wireless node;   average packet size of packets in a buffer of the at least one second wireless node;   a total buffer size of the at least one second wireless node;   relative buffer size of the at least one second wireless node;   quality of service requirements of traffic of the at least one second wireless node; and   weight associated with the at least one second wireless node.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second set of time-varying parameters comprise at least one of:
 number of packets in a buffer of the first wireless node;   average packet size of packets in a buffer of the first wireless node;   a total buffer size of the first wireless node;   relative buffer size of the first wireless node;   quality of service requirements of traffic of the first wireless node;   transmission rate of the first wireless node;   size of the neighborhood of the first wireless node; and   weight associated with the first wireless node.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the size of the neighborhood of the first wireless node is dependent on at least one of time, transmission channel conditions, congestion and traffic variations. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , comprising computing, by the first wireless node, the relative buffer size for each wireless node based on a maximum queue size of the other wireless nodes within the neighborhood, an average queue size of the other wireless nodes within the neighborhood, or the maximum buffer size of the other wireless nodes within the neighborhood. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising: causing transmission of time-varying parameters of the first wireless node via the transmission channel. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving comprises receiving, at the first wireless node, the first set of time-varying parameters for the at least one second wireless node via at least one of a broadcast transmission and a unicast transmission. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-readable medium comprising program code comprising instructions which, when executed on an apparatus cause the apparatus to perform the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
 receive a first set of time-varying parameters for at least one second wireless node; and 
 use the received first set of time-varying parameters at least partially and a second set of time-varying parameters of the first wireless node in determining a back-off window value for the first wireless node for accessing a transmission channel. 
   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the first set of time-varying parameters comprise at least one of:
 number of packets in a buffer of the at least one second wireless node;   average packet size of packets in a buffer of the at least one second wireless node;   a total buffer size of the at least one second wireless node;   relative buffer size of the at least one second wireless node;   quality of service requirements of traffic of the at least one second wireless node; and   weight associated with the at least one second wireless node.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the second set of time-varying parameters comprise at least one of:
 number of packets in a buffer of the first wireless node;   average packet size of packets in a buffer of the first wireless node;   a total buffer size of the first wireless node;   relative buffer size of the first wireless node;   quality of service requirements of traffic of the first wireless node;   transmission rate of the first wireless node;   size of the neighborhood of the first wireless node; and   weight associated with the first wireless node.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the size of the neighborhood is dependent on at least one of time, transmission channel conditions, congestion and traffic variations. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to compute a relative buffer size for each wireless node based on a maximum queue size of the other wireless nodes within the neighborhood, an average queue size of the other wireless nodes within the neighborhood, or the maximum buffer size of the other wireless nodes within the neighborhood. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause a transmitter to transmit time-varying parameters of the apparatus via the transmission channel. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive the first set of time-varying parameters for the at least one second wireless node via at least one of a broadcast transmission and a unicast transmission. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , where the apparatus is configured to operate in an ad hoc mode. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , where the apparatus is configured to operate in an infrastructure mode. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is a mobile terminal. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 2 , comprising: causing transmission of time-varying parameters of the first wireless node via the transmission channel. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 3 , comprising: causing transmission of time-varying parameters of the first wireless node via the transmission channel.